Thanksgiving at St. John ElementarySt. John School students decorated and prepared for the Thanksgiving Lunch hosted by the school on Nov. 24. Students and their families were able to attend the lunch at the school and celebrate the holiday together. Fourth Grade students prepared and performed a Thanksgiving Readers’ Theater in their classroom at the school. Parents and grandparents were able to attend the Thanksgiving Lunch with children and grandchildren in the school cafete...

Bridge results (Dec. 6, 2015)Monday Duplicate Bridge met on Nov. 30, 2015. The first place North/South winners were Bill Barton and Gordon Thornsberry. The second place North/South winners were Lynn Hardin and Ferne Anderson. The first place East/West winners were Doug Lowrey and Peggy Griffin. The second place East/West winners were Carole Barton and Vernon Collins. The next game will be at 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 7, at the Russellville Senior Center. Anyone that needs a part...

Russellville Culture ClubThe Russellville Culture Club met at the home of Camille Talburt on Nov. 19, 2015. New member Sally Ramey, was welcomed by the 15 members present. After the business meeting, Camille turned over the program to Millie Chevaillier, who introduced Main Street Russellville executive director Betsy McGuire. McGuire opened with a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, “Nothing happens but first a dream.” The focus for each member of Main Street Russellville ...

#todayATKINS — The annual Atkins Christmas Parade will begin at 6 p.m. on Monday at the Cotton Yard on East Main Street (U.S. Highway 64). The parade will go west on Main Street and turn right onto State Highway 105 and end near the nursing home. The lineup will begin at 5 p.m.

Community photo: History Essay contestantsTwo Atkins Middle School Seventh Grade students have been awarded prizes in the 2015 History Essay Contest sponsored by the Pope County Historical Association. Anna Markle received Honorable Mention and will be awarded a $10 cash prize. Harrison Taylor placed second in the contest and will receive a cash prize of $50. Winning students will be invited to attend the next meeting of the Pope County Historical Association at 7 p.m. on Feb. 12 at t...

Restaurant manager saves patron’s lifeDavid Cooke doesn’t want any recognition for his life-saving actions last Monday, when he performed the Heimlich maneuver on a choking patron during the lunch rush at Stoby’s restaurant in Russellville. For him, it was just part of the job. “It’s not a big deal,” Cooke, who is a manager at Stoby’s, said. It wasn’t exactly an ideal Monday. Cooke was working on malfunctioning equipment in the kitchen area of the restaurant when a waitress told h...

Campbell receives Patriotic Employer awardPope County 911 and OEM Director Jim Campbell (left of center) was awarded the Patriotic Employer award for his support of one of his employees, Samuel Evans (right of center), who was deployed to Afghanistan from 2013-14. This award is given to a limited few across the state each year for their contribution to national security and protecting liberty and freedom by supporting employee participation in America’s National Guard and Reserve Forc...

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THE COURIER / Joshua MashonThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Community photo: St. John Christmas StoreTHE COURIER / Submitted The fifth grade class of St. John Catholic School in Russellville hosted their Christmas Store to raise money for new playground equipment at the school. The students were able to raise $716 during the two-day sale, which featured items donated by students and parents. Items donated were required to be acceptable as Christmas gifts and no items over $3.

#today• The Dardanelle Christmas parade will be at 6:30 p.m. today in Dardanelle. The parade will begin on Highway 22, turn left onto Union St. and then turn right onto Front St. The parade theme will be “Christmas Stories.” • The Pottsville Christmas parade will be at 6:30 p.m. today at Thomas G. Morris Park on Highway 247 in Pottsville. The theme is “Tinsel Town.” Parade lineup will be at 5:30 p.m., followed by the judging at 6 p.m. • The Russellv...

Bell — JohnstonBrecken Alicia Bell and Kyle Jacob Johnston were married on Sept. 29, 2015, in Batesville. Brecken is the daughter of Wendi Ford of Pottsville. She is a 2015 graduate of Batesville High School. Kyle is the son of Laura Mohlke and Paul Johnston. He is a 2015 graduate of Batesville High School. The couple was married by the Justice of the Peace. Kyle and Brecken will host a wedding ceremony and a reception for friends and family on Feb. 4, 2016....

#today• The Russellville Christmas tree lighting will be at 6 p.m. today in downtown Russellville in front of the Arvest Bank on West Main St. The Christmas parade will follow at 6:30 p.m. The parade will begin at Sears on South Arkansas Avenue and go to the courthouse and turn left onto West Main Street, and will end on El Paso Avenue.

Ready for tonight’s paradeOrlando Garcia (left) and Weymer Hernandez with Russellville Lawn and Landscaping perform the company’s annual task of putting the lights on the tree in downtown Russellville that will serve as the city’s Christmas tree during the holidays. The company has been donating their time and equipment through the years to prepare the tree each year for residents to enjoy through Christmas.

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THE COURIER / Joshua MashonThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

New community center planned at former school Springs schoolEUREKA SPRINGS — The Eureka Springs School Board has voted to lease the city’s former high school campus site to a nonprofit that plans to tear down the 64-year-old main building and construct a $5 million community center complex. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that the board voted Monday to lease the site to the Eureka Springs Community Center Foundation. A news release says the planned Eureka Springs Highlander Community Center will ...

That’s ‘bonkers’Oakland Heights Elementary School fourth grader Cristian Roque won the school’s Spelling Bee Wednesday morning after eight rounds with the word ‘bonkers.’ Roque will go on to compete in the Pope County Spelling Bee on Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. at The Center for the Arts.

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THE COURIER / Joshua MashonThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

ATU seniors named NUFP FellowsArkansas Tech University seniors Suede Graham and Hailey Robinson have been selected for a fellowship designed to create opportunities for individuals from historically underrepresented populations to pursue careers in higher education student affairs. The program was initiated by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) during the 1989-90 academic year. It is named the NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program (NUFP). Gr...